Hues of Emerald
by Giselle Monroe
Summary: Gaara X OC. Gaara and Reina{she is a fanmade character} A new pair. I couldn't think of a pairing with Gaara so I made one up. The setting is the hidden village of sand, and the time is, after Gaara's return from Konoha after his incomplete chunin exam and encounter with Naruto. Complete summary inside...
1. Chapter 1 Knock! Knock!

Hues of Emerald

By: Gisele Monroe

GaaRei. A new pair. I couldn't think of a pairing with Gaara so I made one up. The setting is the hidden village of sand, and the time is, Gaara's return from Konoha after is incomplete chunin exam and encounter with Naruto.

**Pairings:** Gaara X Reina

**Warnings:** a few portions including fewer clothes, nothing explicit though [eeennpp! X].

**Author's notes:** This story is written from Reina's point of view. So a few descriptions of my characters.

Reina: -black, long, curly hair

-large chocolate brown eyes

_dimpled smile

Arazuma and Micazeh – her team mates

Aakura Sensei- her sensei[a jounin]

Inoto- the uncle she lives with [ her mother is dead and father is AWOL]

**CHAPTER 1: Knock! Knock!**

My life was going on as boring and mundane as ever. I woke up early, as always and followed my daily routine of walking into the remnants of woods that added to the hidden village of sand. As i walked through the streets, I observed, as usual a few people had woken up early and started up with their chores. I saw a few senseis to whom I bowed silently in greeting. The town all in all was still dark except for the dim flicker of lamps, but every drop of water that wet our throats had to be earned through sweat here, that had engraved a quality of unswayable determination and hard work in our blood, so there was a lot of clatter here and there. It was something we were born with, or most of us who didn't have a golden spoon to feed them were.

I walked through the scarcely foliaged land, and headed towards the sound of chirping birds.

My escape!

The air around me changed, becoming cooler and carrying the smell of young grass and wet mud and sand, from the stagnant pool that stood there in the form of a fairly well deep pond. I breathed it in, relishing in it. I slipped through the inclined ground to the edge of the pond that had now become my privatised pool by a long short. I put up illusionary jutsus and a few chakra tied traps for my onlookers of intruders. None such incident had taken place, but better safe than sorry.

Even though I came here every day, i never tired of this. Each day felt like a new season of spring. After which came the gloriously harsh summer every day, came my snarky subconscious' remark. I shoved her away and cleared up my mind. Just because she is always running after realism doesn't mean I'm going to let her shatter my fairy tale.

The day I has stumbled upon this paradise had been both a very fortunate as well as a very unfortunate one. I had been running laps around as Aakura sensei had said to do whenever I had temper problems. He said I lack patience. Well, try and live in the world with as much discrimination as I do and you'll get you patience worn thin too. It had been a while since I was running; my mind a jumble of thoughts and the next think I know I'm lost. It had been when I was too young. I was scared out of my wits and wailing for help. I hadn't even graduated then. Parched and hungry after running and the after effects of my screaming setting in, I became really tired as I crawled through the area. I really thought that was it. I was on the verge of giving up, when I found wet ground. Blinded with thirst and panic, in haste to get to whatever sanctuary I had found I had stumbled straight into the pond and the next thing I know I was thrashing in the water screaming for help. I remember my arms giving out after a while and everything turning into blackness. Next I had opened my eyes at the hospitals with a few jouins and my uncle Inoto by my side.

Well, that was that. But despite my fear for water i had found myself going there just for the peace and calm at first and then I thought of learning to swim.

Micazeh, my teammate, taught me to swim. Well not literally give me lessons but he told me the technicalities. The rest was surprisingly easy. I got over my fear of drowning as i could float just my concentrating a little bit of chakra on my feet and hands.

I sighed heavily as i went through my memory pages. Eerily, i was suddenly feeling very nostalgic.

Smiling to myself at my stupidity, I started up with my usual training. I ran a few laps around the slippery slick area that need my frequent concentration to keep me from falling, then tried climbing trees with my muddy slippery feet, that earned my clothes another layer of mud.

When finally drained, muddy and sweaty after a heavy workout, totally satisfied with my aching muscles, i headed to the small fenced area that I had set up as a loo. I striped and put on my camisole, thrashed my mud caked dress on the barks and branches to clean them, and headed into the cool sanctuary of the pond. I stepped into the chilled water as I shivered slightly. Smiling to myself i submerged completely and then came up for air after a while, relishing the feel of cold water on my adrenaline rushed heated skull.

Ahh...biss! I could stay here all day.

I realized that the sky was lightening up a bit as my blissful hours ticked by. Realizing that the sun was about to appear soon, reluctantly i stepped out of the water, tied my wet hair into an unruly bun.

I began cleaning my muddy feet in the water for one last time; as I felt the defenses around me fall.

Someone had walked through my illusion! I darted toward the bush to avoid being attacked. My heart was pounding slightly and i was having a odd feeling of déjà vu except last time i was praying for somebody to be here, and now i was wishing that whoever had come would not enter this area.

I flexed my shiruken in my hand, bath and bliss long forgotten as adrenaline coursed through my veins again. I heard crunching of leaves.

O shit! I can't believe my intruder had passed my traps! My subconscious had deserted me entirely. It was these times when i hated my subconscious to my limit. It was times like this, i could use some snarkiness, and it were times like this that she just poofed! away.

As i laid low i saw a red head emerging with his back to me, but the gourd on his back was unmistakably familiar. I felt all the blood drain from my face as realization dawned and without meaning to, my shiruken flew out of my hand out of reflex. Aakura sensei had once told me during a lesson that offending in a wrong way is more dangerous that having no offense at all. As my shiruken hit the wall of sand and my intruder turned to me , with his emerald orbs at me, I finally understood that lesson, but considering from the snaky sand that was advancing towards me, it was already too late.

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**_um-guys-all my wonderful ink-wielders, this is my first story-its kind a drony-but...i don't know what to say-could you please review anything...honest and something critical that will help me improve-anything guys_**

**_anyway lots of love and keep fighting_**


	2. Chapter 2 Tresspassing Prohibhited!

Hues of Emerald

By: Gisele Monroe

GaaRei. A new pair. I couldn't think of a pairing with Gaara so I made one up. The setting is the hidden village of sand, and the time is, Gaara's return from Konoha after his incomplete chunin exam and encounter with Naruto.

**Pairings:** Gaara X Reina

**Warnings:** a few portions including fewer clothes, nothing explicit though [eeennpp! X].

**Author's notes:** This story is written from Reina's point of view. So a few descriptions of my characters.

Reina: -black, long, curly hair

-large chocolate brown eyes

_dimpled smile

Arazuma and Micazeh – her team mates

Aakura Sensei- her sensei[a jounin]

Inoto- the uncle she lives with [ her mother is dead and father is AWOL]

Mizeina [Zeina]- her mother

-Light blue eyes

-Straight black hair

-heart shaped sweet face

Arazuma- dark headed guy,

-a little burly physic,

-football quarterback type,

-has good stamina,

- is kind of a leader,

-Very protective of both his team mates,-kind a like a big brother figure

Micazeh **-**lean and thin guy

-blue spiky haired

-great aim (never misses)

Aakura Sensei- burly like most other sand jounin

-3 scars mar his right forehead, ending just above his eyes, distorting his eyebrows, just a little though

**Chapter 2: Trespassing Prohibited!**

My breath was knocked out of me. Was it from the impact of surprise and dread or was it from the force of the sand cocoon that was closing in on me i didn't know, but i was nearing to the conclusion that it was most evidently the later, judging from the increasing pressure on my lungs and body.

"You-" came his monotonous perplexed voice as if he was trying to remember something. "Your-"

As the perplexity of his voice increased, I felt the death grip loosen around me. Not losing eye contact,I felt around for my kunai, hastily. As i gripped it in my hand, and drew in a running stance, i felt his eyes scrutinize me angrily and the sand closed on me again.

"Ahh!" I fell face first on the ground. Dammit! What the hell is he doing here? I don't even know him for crying out loud, and here he is seconds away from squeezing the living daylights out of me.

"Huh..!" I heard a humorless laugh from behind me.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here? This area is beyond main city borders." He said in is same emotionless voice.

"Nikazula Reina." I replied with a few huffs and grunts and I turned to face him. I struggled into a kneeling position and stood up steadily on my wobbly feet.

"What are you doing here?" he asked again as i looked into those black rimmed eyes of his.

"As far as I remember, this place is not owned by you, secondly there's a way to talk to people, you better learn that and come, and finally, what are you doing here. I have been coming here for a while now; I've never seen you here. I am sure the infamous Gaara has much blood to draw and people to kill." I finished with a spit. I wasn't going to let him boss around. He was going to kill me anyway, and if so I'll go down fighting. But my subconscious being the wise side of me, sat motionless with a zen-like look on her face. As if this brat of a guy wasn't annoying enough.

Gaara continued to stare at me, and then as if in pain his eyes scrunched shut and his impassive face morphed into one distorted with pain, as the sand cocoon started to close in on me.

As i withered and struggled gasping for breath, i realized that Gaara stood close to me, almost at touching distance. To work on any escape i knelled down, hoping to drop his guard, and evidently enough i saw his form relaxing a bit as i gripped his hand hoping for some kind of attack. But the opposite happened, as fire shot up by back.

"AAaah!" both of our synchronized scream echoed through the area. Pain had made my arms go numb and finally I too had knelled down withering for air.

"What is happening?" I gasped out. A burning pain was starting at my back, completely different from the physical pain in my body. It was as if someone had poured acid on my back.

" I..I..." Gaara kept gasping out, as the scene before my eyes changed, but the screaming and voices remained the same—"Aaa-aaaaaaaaaa-"

" Mother...maama..." my scream and my mother's filled the room, as the same searing pain scorched my back. "Mama don't-Mama...don't mama.-hurt" I sobbed in front of her as her crystal blue eyes raked over me.

"Mama—I-hurt mama-fire" I screamed, as she stood there looking at me, but her eyes focusing and then losing me. There was burning but no flame. There was fire yet no smoke. There was my mother but no love. As if she was just a statue, as if she were senseless, my mother kept staring at me, looking at me yet not seeing me.

" Zeina-" came another scream, as I turned towards the sound, but before my eyes could meet, light darkness devoured me in, and I screamed again, and this time it echoed through the forest.

My eyes found light and I saw Gaara kneeling beside me, with another of his perplexed expression, as I felt a kunai piercing my hand. Gaara was staring at the blood, his eyes fixed, as I hastily staggered up realizing my escape point. What was that? What was that burning? Why did that terrible memory come up after so many years? Why now? Why—o god why? I wanted to scream and every cell in my body commanding me to cover my ears and block out that terrible night, to find some release point of this pain that was so that it was taking over whole of my body yet it stayed invisible.

Somehow calming my mind, I withdrew the kunai and ran a few feet away from him, taking out my shuriken and taking up a fighting stance, as I weighed up my options. He definitely wasn't a close combat person, and considering my weakened state i am more likely to hurt myself than place a wound on him.

I stood, breathing heavily and he stood totally calm, totally contrary to my condition. As he advanced towards me step by step I backed away. Where was he going with this? He'd had far too many openings for killing, then why wasn't I dead?

"Reina-" he said slowly as if testing the word. "I used to come here-" he said with a pensive look in his eyes. "What-?"He said with a questioning gesture with his hand and a perplexed look on his face. His scrunched eye brows and perplexed mouth giving him a totally foreign expression that had me staring at him for a while before the situation registered and a blush crept along my cheeks. O good, a second or so ago he was threatening me, and now he was embarrassing me. Well I'm not a horse to be whipped around! My subconscious nodded her head vigorously, her arms crossed, a deathly look on her face. Well of course she'll give him a deathly look! It isn't her who'll have to deal with _the_ Sabaku no GAARA.

"Well-that doesn't mean I can't come here." I said defiantly, besides my fear. A ninja should never show her emotions, i chanted calmly as i pushed my over confident subconscious away. "Besides you are the one who is intruding, there were traps and should have known better than to enter."

"I will enter where ever i want. Besides the ones you called traps and shields are the worst kind I've ever seen." He said in his same monotone voice. From his eyes it looked as if he was angry, but from his voice. I wrapped my arms around me as a sudden wind blew, in an attempt to cover myself, both visually and physically. I can't believe the timing of this encounter. I am wearing a bloody chemise in front of a guy. Only I knew how much restraint I had to conjure up to stop the urge of rushing behind the woods and bushes. Only my pledge to never cower before anybody was holding me in place.

I could still feel his eyes on me, I was starting to get really cold and this was getting more and more awkward with each ticking minute. After a while or so my subconscious woke up from her meditation or whatever trance she'd been in and gave me a 'what are you waiting for look'. I glared at her for being so late, and with a last glance towards him I went behind my barrier where my clothes stood, and I stood safe from view of prying eyes. I released out a breath I didn't know I was holding. By heart was hammering in my chest, as I closed my eyes to calm my shaking hands and legs.

O. My. God! Dammit! What the hell was that? Tears threatened to come, as I felt a burning sensation in my eyes. 'God! Why am I being such a cry baby?' I admonished myself as my subconscious looked over me shaking her head wistfully. God she needn't act so narcissistic.

Was it from the humiliation that I'd just gone through or the feeling of incompetence, I didn't know. I put on my clothes in a daze as words and images and questions swirled through my head. I stayed there perched on a low branch as I aligned my thoughts. As i kept remembering the memory there was a constant nudge that kept asking questions like ' is he still here' ' what am I gonna do if he is'. Okay—just calm down, just—c.a.l.m d.o.w.n, I chanted to myself as I began strengthening my resolve.

What if he was there, it's not like I'd performed a naked tap dance in front of him. Right! Both of us had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Fully clothed now, I emerged from my shelter with shaky legs and hesitant gaze. My face was burning with embarrassment as if someone had poured kerosene and lit it up. My subconscious evidently exasperated with my damsel in distress attitude gave me a scornful look, that finally helped get of it. Why was being embarrassed there was nothing explicit about whatever had taken place here. It wasn't as if I was performing a pole dance for his convenience. Sapping out of it I looked up, only to find still water and unaccompanied trees surrounding me. I heaved a sigh as my face temperature came back to normal.

I looked around and a gasp of worry escaped my lips. Boy i was so gonna be late. I folded my chemise in my bag haphazardly as I took off for my training with Arazuma sensei.

**_i guess this was a bit confusing-but hang around friends everything will get sorted out in the next chapter. Or so i hope. anyway-keep writting and reviewing :)_**


	3. Chapter 3 History of Pain

**Pairings:** Gaara X Reina

**Warnings:** I may be a little here and there in the sync of time with Gaara's age and stuff. i hope you guys can overlook it. Actually i haven't really finished watching Naruto-and i haven't even started watching Shippuden. So don't go like hey! Gaara had become Kazekage way before this-or, hey there's a war brewing right now...i hope you can understand

**Author's notes:** This story is written from Reina's point of view. So a few descriptions of my characters.

Reina: -black, long, curly hair

-large chocolate brown eyes

_dimpled smile

Arazuma and Micazeh – her team mates

Aakura Sensei- her sensei[a jounin]

Inoto- the uncle she lives with [ her mother is dead and father is AWOL]

Mizeina [Zeina]- her mother

-Light blue eyes

-Straight black hair

-heart shaped sweet face

Arazuma- dark headed guy,

-a little burly physic,

-football quarterback type,

-has good stamina,

- is kind of a leader,

-Very protective of both his team mates,-kind a like a big brother figure

Micazeh**-**lean and thin guy

-blue spiky haired

-great aim (never misses)

**Chapter 3: History of Pain**

That wasn't the last and neither was it the first. The heart wrenching nightmares had begun again.

I would know, because I woke up every night drenched in sweat, and every bead of sweat threatening to feel like a pool of blood, which only my remnant sanity was able to deny. I would know, because my uncle Inoto gave me a sleeping daft every night so I could sleep, dreamlessly, but once they had started they have no end know. It had been complete 9 years since I had had those nightmares, and yet after all these, it is still as fresh and vivid as it was on the night that my mother died.

Waking up from another of those recaps, I woke up again as I looked around my room, my heart threatening to jump out of my chest. I was relieved to see that my uncle wasn't there. I heaved a sigh; at least I didn't ruin another of his sleeps. I woke up and splashed water on my face. As I relished the feeling of the cool water on my skin I repeated it again for a few times or two.

The only thing that helped after these nights was relentless training. I looked up into the mirror to find dark bags under my eyes. Boy if this continued then my eyes would be darker than Gaara's I thought quietly.

'Gaara' the word stuck in my mind. This had become another of my problems. My irritating habit of going into flashback was proving to be more disconcerting with every passing memory. His name always brought on the day in the pool and that in return brought up a severe line of emotions. First came cheek burning face lighting embarrassment, and then came rage at his attitude and in the end came exasperation at my inability to forget such a meagre thing and the fact that such a thing was capable of bringing out flood of emotions. So I did the only thing that helped; I stopped thinking and hit the punching bag in the store room.

The continued effort of keeping my hits muffled as well as keeping them firm made me concentrate more, resulting in keeping of diversions. I continued hitting it, focusing on hitting a single point and then working a little on the footwork. I hit some kicks and spins too.

After an hour or so, drenched and smelly in sweat, a small smile curved up my lips seeing the deflated bag.

Alright!

I gulped down water and drenched my heated scalp after which I began again, this time on the wooden pole. I hit and hit again. My muscled began to pain as if someone had tied weights to them, yet I didn't stop. I continued insistently, as finally my legs gave out and I collapsed. I closed my eyes as I sagged against the floor lying down, as I gulped for air. The cold floor warming against my heated skin, i looked up into the whitewashed ceiling as I closed my eyes.

"Mama-" I called out, a laugh threatening to giggle out if my throat as i watched my mother smile at me.

"Honey, what are you doing here alone? Where is uncle Inoto?" She said as she picked me up in her arms, as I wrapped my arms around her neck as i looked for uncle Inn.

"Inn-uncle" I called out stuttering. I could never bring out the voice like my mother. Hearing me stammer she laughed a warm laugh that echoed through the empty house reminding me of gardens. I pulled back looking at her blue eyes alight with humour as she kissed my nose.

"Uncle Inn where are you" she called out again mimicking me as she encouraged me to repeat after her with her eyes.

"Un—uncle Inn." I called, giggling out loud as if this were a game my mother and i were playing.

"She calls him uncle inn but she hasn't even said dad to me." Came a male voice that sounded familiar yet unfamiliar.

"She doesn't meet you much. You are here only once or twice in a whole year." She said as she leaned in to kiss him. But as always as i turned to see his face the scene changed and showed myself a little older than the me from the last memory. I gasped up awake as I felt the same old burning pain coming back.

"Reina—what are you doing here at this hour of the night?" I found my uncle staring up at me kneeling by my side holding my hand.

That was new. The whole fire and burning was something I got every night, but this was honey and sugar but still at the end the fire came back.

"I was training." I said slowly.

"Yeah—I can see the bruises. Don't overwork yourself this way, Reina."

"Were the—the nightmares back?" He asked tentatively.

"No, I just couldn't sleep. You know how without exhaustion even if you gave me a daft of sleeping I wouldn't be able to sleep. So I came here to tire myself out." I said smiling at him as I stood up and walked past him. Then suddenly I realized something.

"Why aren't there any pictures of my dad?" I whirled around to face him.

He looked at me, wincing a little, which supposed was because of my harsh tone and gaze. I dropped my eyes hastily and amended. "I mean I haven't seen my dad, and i don't remember him from my childhood. Is—is he alive." I asked looking back at him.

"You don't remember?" he said.

"Remember what?"

"I thought on your mother's funeral, the Kazekage must have told you. He was a high class ninja who went on classified missions, but he suddenly disappeared after your mother died. Actually I remember last seeing him the day before your mother—died. He had come back from another of his missions."

"Look—Reina I can tell lies and say just how wonderful your dad was but despite my best efforts I never liked that man, and just because he might or might not be dead doesn't change that. I never thought him fit for Mizeina. You would—think that...i mean i know how you feel about your mother, but you know Reina, before that accident-you were her world, she loved you more than anything else." he said.

I was actually surprised both by the admission and the dislike in my uncle's tone. My uncle was an easy going person who didn't like troubles, and hate wasn't something I got to see every day from him. All I'd seen him look like was timid, cheerful and friendly.

"More than she loved my—father?"

At this my uncle remained silent. I guess he didn't know what to tell me. I didn't know what to tell myself.

"She didn't love me enough. She didn't love you enough. She only loved him. And that love left her where she is today." I say quietly, as another of the burning pains shoots up my back.

"Thanks anyway uncle... I'll be going for a shower, now." I say again nonchalantly.

"Reina-" I heard him call as I turned back.

"Don't hate her-she didn't know what she was doing?" he said, pain clear in his voice.

"I don't hate her." I say. And I whirl around to face him as my throat starts to close.

"I can't hate her. I love her—she is—was my mother. I hate _him_. And I hate her _love_ for him that made her want to take my life, and give away hers." I say as the pain grows, and tears streak out of my eyes, as my uncle watches me dumbstruck. Giving him a last glance, i dash out of the house, forgetting him, forgetting her, forgetting everything but the pain.

**_OK-so guys...i suppose u didn't rally like it-well no problem-please don't not review, thinking that I'll feel bad if that's the case-please just write it straight forward 'its awful n u should take some break and try to improve and then come waltzing in'. Or maybe u didn't like the idea-i don't know what to do..._**

**_Anyway-my apologies for rubbing off like a incessant petulant child-really sorry._**

**_Anyway-keep writing friends-your work is inspiring and motivating._**


	4. Chapter 4 The Fire inside

**Pairings:** Gaara X Reina

**Warnings:** I may be a little here and there in the sync of time with Gaara's age and stuff. i hope you guys can overlook it. Actually i haven't really finished watching Naruto-and i haven't even started watching Shippuden. So don't go like hey! Gaara had become Kazekage way before this-or, hey there's a war brewing right now...i hope you can understand

**Author's notes:** This story is written from Reina's point of view. So a few descriptions of my characters.

Reina: -black, long, curly hair

-large chocolate brown eyes

_dimpled smile

Arazuma and Micazeh – her team mates

Aakura Sensei- her sensei[a jounin]

Inoto- the uncle she lives with [ her mother is dead and father is AWOL]

Mizeina [Zeina]- her mother

-Light blue eyes

-Straight black hair

-heart shaped sweet face

Arazuma- dark headed guy,

-a little burly physic,

-football quarterback type,

-has good stamina,

- is kind of a leader,

-Very protective of both his team mates,-kind a like a big brother figure

Micazeh **-**lean and thin guy

-blue spiky haired

-great aim (never misses)

Aakura Sensei- burly like most other sand jounin

-3 scars mar his right forehead, ending just above his eyes, distorting his eyebrows, just a little though

***thanks a lot esthermarie117, and sabaku no koibito, it was your generous show of like that has me writing again. Without you I still would've been staying in the low depressing corner of my head. Thanks a lot... {really...guys you are the ones who keep hope alive}**

**Chapter 4: The fire inside...**

Whatever I did after that was pretty much of a blur, but a few things were contrastingly haunting. Like the flashes I got. My mom screaming, crying in the pillow as I looked at her dumbstruck, and then her lighting up like Christmas as my father came home. I also remembered the songs, my mother had a beautiful voice and she always used to lull me to sleep singing those songs. At times even when Father wasn't home, but mostly when he used to be home. My father had loved me too or maybe not. After so many years of going through those memories in denial, I am afraid whether most things are real; anyhow, those memories of my father's love and laughter are rather hazy.

As these flashes pass by me, I do know I am going somewhere because I can feel my legs. My muscles are contracting and relaxing, I find myself out of breath, but my eyes remain unfocused. After a while or so, I feel myself land on firm ground and stand there, as my breaths come out in gaps and the pain in my arms and legs help focus on my surrounding.

"Reina-you are late." A voice draws my attention as I look up and find myself staring at Arazuma.

"S-sorry." I stammer giving him a sheepish look. "I got caught up in some things." I mutter to Aakura sensei who is scrutinizing me, and then I turn and look at Micazeh, trying to give him an acknowledging smile, but fail miserably as I feel it turn into a grimace.

"Are you alright?" he asks seeing my expression. I seriously don't need any words of sympathy. Either I was going to breakdown right there or I was going to burn every single person in front of me. Neither of which were appropriate options, so I settled with a curt "I am okay. -We should start with our training"

As if sensing my erratic in mood, Aakura sensei teamed me up with Arazuma. He was good with close contact offense and also that since he was older than me hence took me as a brother figure and I knew he was gonna go easy on me. The realization of which nothing to extinguish the fire of anger burning with me. We started with hand to hand, and then shiruken and others involved. Micazeh on the other hand was training on target practice. As if he needed them anymore, I thought to myself, as I launched another of my low kicks which was yet again blocked my Arazuma. I stood huffing short of breath, as I kept my fighting stance enact. One palm on the ground and legs stretched in a half crouch.

Anger boiling inside, I headed toward him with a few fast combo shots and a final kick on the stomach that he had no chance of defending without a shiruken and hence the cut on my left arm. His eyes instantly flew to my arm as concern etched his features. From the corner of my eye I see Micazeh begin to reach out to me, but Aakura sensei stopped him as both of them turned to watch us. 'Good for him' I thought with an inside smirk. Focusing back to my opponent, I looked him up. There wasn't even a bruise on his body and I could feel most part of my body throb. This realization brought another furl of anger as my insides began to churn with heat. A short growl left my lips as I focused on my chakra, my purple chakra turned dark violet as I launched my fist at him as I rounded up and thrust my other palm on his neck trying for a firm hold so I could get him down, but before I could react to what was happening inside me, heat flowed through my hand as I felt the violet chakra rush out of my hand, and the next thing I knew, Arazuma fell with a thump on his face as I stared at him, to shocked to move as Aakura sensei came rushing towards him. As he crouched and a crease of alarm marred his forehead, he looked up at me, a look of concern covering his features as I stood dumbstruck and a scared whimper escaped my lips as tears filled my eyes. "Arazuma-" I fell with a thud as a tear streaked down into the dirt. I saw my hand shaking as I heard sensei speak to Micazeh in a calm voice, his voice not betraying anything but concern

"Take him to the infirmary. He'll be okay." I felt Micazeh shoot me glance. What was it? Fear or hatred? We had never injured anyone of so severely that one of us might have fainted. We were more than team mates. We'd become family. And I hurt family. A sob escaped as i felt a hand enclose my shoulder tenderly. Expecting to see Aakura sensei, I was little surprised as my tear glassed eyes met Micazeh concerned expression. I wanted to say something. To defend myself, but shame and the memory of that malevolent anger came back and I hung my head low, staring at the ground with a few wet spots of my tears as I wiped my face hastily.

"Will he-" I choked out as Micazeh began shuffling with Arazuma's limp body, by his side. I wanted to give him a hand, but I didn't want to do any more damage.

"What happened before you came here?" I heard him say in place of a consoling 'yes he will be fine' as a thickness enclosed my throat.

"I was angry—I and-my uncle and I had -we had a talk." I stuttered vaguely, as i cast my gaze downwards unable to meet his gaze

"Reina—look at me." He said suddenly unswervingly. "I need you to think about this...about what happened. Think about it progressively." He said. The sudden urgency in his voice forcing me to look into those stern eyes. He paused as we gazed at each other.

"Meet me here at 7pm, tomorrow. We need to—talk-and work on your anger." He said quietly as he left behind the now diminishing figure of Micazeh and a bump like Arazuma.

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__**I know that you probably find it kind a vague in here-{please tell me if it is becoming a little too much}. It's part of the plot building. But I guess I'm not good enough if you guys find it confusing and irritating. If it's so please tell me-I need feedback friends for improving.**_

_**THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU HAVE BEEN SHOWING ME, TILL NOW.**_

_**FIGHTING!**_

_**XOXO**_


	5. Chapter 5 Burned Dark and fierce

**Pairings:** Gaara X Reina

**Warnings:** I may be a little here and there in the sync of time with Gaara's age and stuff. I hope you guys can overlook it. Actually I haven't really finished watching Naruto-and I haven't even started watching Shippuden. So don't go like hey! Gaara had become Kazekage way before this-or, hey there's a war brewing right now... It's to provide a mature world building, for the love angle to build—[I mean c'mon 15 old teenagers don't fall in love] hope you can understand-

There might be a bit too much of angst in this chapter-so, I suppose... hang onto it for a while- although I personally believe that bit of gravity is essential-

**Author's notes:** *** thank you well wisher and two guests. You are the people that help me keep my mid night oil burning and continue writing. I'll be forever grateful for you support. THANK YOU-THANK YOU-THANK YOU SO MUCH.**

**Chapter 5- ...Burned dark and fierce**

A sudden darkness engulfed me, as there was the customary searing pain on the side of my back, and there was heat flowing through me. For once there was a blinding flash of light that showed me masked faces and then I was being pulled into oblivion. The claws of dark depths clutching my limbs and devouring me until all that was left was the cold that followed after the searing heat left me, and soon the throbbing pain diminished to numbness.

After unfathomable moments, I felt myself being carried away, and then I heard.

Voices.

"There must be another way." An urgent whisper barely audible to my infant ears spoke.

"There is _not_. Don't stop me brother. This had been planned. Death is inevitable. This was the reason I didn't want to have her in the first place. You insisted-He...-never mind now. The task has to be done."

There was a long pause, as my fatigued mind protested for sleep, but then the same familiar female voice spoke. "Mizeina—how could you bear to do this. Doesn't your heart ache for your child?"

"Don't do this Inn, I have to do this. You said you won't come in the way-you promised! I am doing this for love! " My mother's voice came loud and sharp

"You-Zeina-I never was as strong as you-"the male voice said quietly.

"That is why I'm going to do this and you won't stop me! Or help me god I'll kill you as well!"

The promise of death in my mother's voice made my baby heart stop cold for a minute.

"Mama-" an involuntary moan escaped my lips, but no one responded as the air grew thick around me. Thick with trepidation and woe.

There were pauses, when all grew silent and all I could feel was footsteps, I felt something shift but my fatigued mind was unable to comprehend anything but the arms wrapping around me and then the hold shifted a little. But as my inquisitive eyesight adjusted to the dark-things became hazy. My eyes gave in, and all I could do was hear perplexed.

And then, after what felt like a lifetime passed, I heard.

"What are you doing-?" My mother said, surprise evident in her tone, as I felt being carried away. "Inoto give her."

"Zeina-don't please. For the love of god Zeina don't, I beg of you."

"Brother! You are backing away brother-I won't be able to afford hesitation right now. All will be lost."

"Everything already _is_ lost." came a strangled whisper, as I felt myself shaking. I had no idea if it was me who was shaking or was it uncle Inoto.

" NO!-I won't let you do this-" came a shout.

"You don't love me enough. Leave—Inn!" She said quietly and then there was screaming. Mine or other I knew not, only that I wanted it to stop. I wanted it to stop, and so did I want the pain to do. As my throat began to scorch-I understood that the scream belonged to me, and so did the pale white fingers. Or so I thought-but as I followed the hand, I met with my mother's blue glassy eyes, that remained open, yet life less and lightless. And as I stared, too paralyzed, a scream broke the silence of the thunderstorm-as I jolted awake.

" Aaaahhh-" a whimper of pain escaped my lips as I wiped my now perspired forehead, and tear streaked eyes, as every degree of relief deserted me, and as the memory came back, tears started to streak down, and I broke down into full sobs.

My head hurt, and all I wanted was solace. Solace from a mother who wasn't trying to kill me and solace from friends whom I wasn't going to kill in the process. I hated myself for being so spineless and wretched, but not only had yesterday brought back the dream or precisely nightmare in vivid detail of the pains, it had also brought back a memory that I'd lived in a denial of.

A humourless laugh escaped my dried out lips, as the recollections of the numerous denials graced me.

It was the day, the greatest denial I had been living, broke into the bright streak of sunlight and my beautiful bliss of ignorance shattered.

I was 7or 8 years old, when driven by the unstoppable whisperings around me from friends and villagers, I came home from the academy with a foul mood and teary eyes. As I looked into the eyes of my uncle, so similar to that of my mother's in the photograph that stood on his bedside, I asked running at him, when I entered the room and found my uncle emerged in papers over his study table top. "Why do people stare me uncle Inn? Am I ugly? Do I look weird?"

I remember him loose all blood from his face that instant and then ...I remember as he composed himself, and smiled at me and said "you are the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes upon." As he drew me in his lap and kissed my forehead. My immature heart had smiled on those words and forgotten everything.

But that hadn't resolved the matter, tired of whisperings and looks from friends, I'd come home crying again, but this time I was older, more mature. My uncle knew that, and knew that this time the matter won't be resolved just by a few sweet words, so he tried to brush me off. But after minutes of imploring and crying, he finally decided to tell me the truth, and... what a truth had that been!

"Reina-" came my uncle's familiar voice as seconds later my senses picked up on his presence.

I sighed inwardly. "How much did you see?"

"Enough to know that you have been lying to me." He said. I could hear an edge to my uncle's tone that sounded much like reprimanding. And here I thought I'd seen all the sides to my uncle. I sighed again, this time openly. My subconscious was back as she gave me the 'you are no Mr. Know it all' look over her copy of advanced mind jutsus, as I shoved her out. My fried off brain was in no condition to deal with another heatstroke.

"Tell me." He said as he came to stand beside my bed awkwardly. My room was my territory, so it was as familiar a territory for my uncle as a swimmer in a pilot's territory. Catching the softness in his tone I took mercy and patted the bed beside me, as my uncle stared at me astounded. And then as if he'd finally understood the 100 dollar question he sat down clearing his throat soundly.

"How vividly do you remember my mother trying to kill me?" I asked, as the great conversation starter that it evidently was.

I didn't know why but I was suddenly angry at him. Maybe because part of me had always been in a denial, since my uncle hadn't accepted to the incident in so many words. And since because of that it hurt more than I could say, I blamed him. "I saw it today again-not in so much detail as you, Of course, since you were there that night, but enough to make me wish to never want to sleep again." I said with every inch of scorn as it was possible to put in that sentence.

"I'd been lying to you-Yes. Hoping that these nightmares of my mother going insane and trying to kill me would go away. Hoping that the fact that, she was driven into such heights due to being driven mad by love would...Pass away. Every one of my classmates pray...Pray that they live happy and pray for their future...But I -I pray for my past-I pray, that my past will change." Tears had begun to blur my eyes, as I looked out of the window in the purple sky, not wanting my uncle to see me break down.

"That love had made her insane—that the unbearable separation from my dad had driven her to an extent of trying to _kill_ her own child, claiming that my life belonged to her rather than me." My throat had begun to hurt by know, as I stared into space reliving every awful memory that was etched into my brain and spreading like poison spreading through my veins. I clutched my bed spread into my fist, as my fingers dug into my palm through the thin spread, as tears threatened to spill. This time, I forced my subconscious to appear. To appear and give me a piece of her mind and advice from that snarky mouth of hers that spilling tears was about as good as talking to a dead person, and expecting a response, but she didn't come. Huh coward! I smirked inwardly. She never did appear in times of requirement.

I felt my uncle still beside me for a moment, as I waited for him to answer but it didn't come, for the silence stretched between us like the deafening silence before a thunderstorm.

My throat began to close as my vision turned blurry once again. A tear streaked down my cheeks, despite my best efforts and deep breathing, and as if that marked the beginning, my incessant sobs began.

"I am so _stupid_. Wishing for magic and fairytale like a child. When in reality...my life is as messed up as one's can get." I choked out at last.

"I'm sorry-f-for b-being so childish- weeping- like this." I stuttered in between sobs after I had cried silently for minutes. I wiped each tear hastily, and clutched my face in my hands in shame. In shame of my weakness, and in shame of such low self restraint.

"No-No,NoNo-Reina." He said as he suddenly hugged me and I was soon I was sobbing against his shirt, as he shushed me, rocking me to and fro.

"Never Reina—never say sorry for showing compassion. Emotions are a part of us, and you should never apologise for _feeling_-because regardless of the fact that each of us posses a heart, not every heart can beat the same, and neither can every heart feel as the other."

"It happened again!" I said and sniffed. The tears weren't stopping and neither was the ache in some deep part of me. "I hurt Arazuma-I was so angry-but I-." Sniff.

"I'm sorry." Sniff.

I was expecting some kind of a shocked reaction, so imagine my surprise when my uncle just nodded and hugged me closer. Although if he had been surprised, I wouldn't have known what to do. Because there really was no way to soften a blow like 'i hurt my friend so severely that he fainted just as I touched him.' So I would've had nothing to else to tell him...to defend my guilty verdict.

"Uncle Am.i. A bad person?" I asked my words muffled against his chest.

"_No_—Reina you are _not_. The fact that you feel bad about what happened is the _shear_ proof of it. Don't ever think that."

"But—for once in the flash of that memory, in that anger, I really did want to hurt him. It was like every part of me wanted to hurt someone. I—am" I broke down as I took my face in my hands, as new wave of tears undid me.

"No—no Reina shhh-calm down."

"Shhh-shhh" My uncle's shushing and rocking was the last thing I remember after that, as I close my eyes against his now wet and cold shirt, as all nightmares deserted me and I slept for real. My first scream less sleep in weeks.

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**Author notes: As most of my friends would agree, Friends and readers-it is really disappointing to see that there are numerous views but no reviews. It shatters fragile confidence of writers, just like mine has cracked a little.**

**So pleeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssseeeeeeee review anything-good or bad is besides-plzzz review truthfully.**

**OK-since I am done with the grovelling and pleading-let's come to the important issue at hand.**

**Reina has been having far too many Flashbacks—so straighten things out, there's the flashback mentioned in this chapter in detail in the next part { it's the flashback that doesn't have much dialogues— follow me...}-it isn't much of a chapter-it's just a kind a bonus-I hope you guys like it and get things straightened out.**

And guys please don't get dismayed by the crying. The fact that your mother has tried to kill you is kind of a hard pill to swallow. Please hang around friends.

**P.S:** My subconscious had given me numerous chastening looks for the highly laden grovel in the above author notes [he—he he—I'm kind a in a desolate mood. sorry {looking sheepish-scratching head}]


	6. The Swan Song an excerpt

**DISCLAIMER:** As much as I would like it to be the way it isn't-It'll still belong to Sir Masashi Kishimoto...

I mean friends I don't own any of this-if you follow me-

**Author notes: ****Hey! Guys-this was the bonus chapter I was talking about. I updated again...please read... In the last chapter i.e. chapter 5, there was a flashback of Reina's mother trying to kill her, so putting in another flash felt like it would've been too much. Although I wanted you guys to have an insight to a bit of Reina's childhood. So this is the time when Reina was about 8-9 years old. I hope you like it, and your confusions have been sorted. :)**

**It isn't a chapter so much as it is just a small scene.**

**Warning: IT'S A BIT ANGSTY...SO IF YOU ARE IN A BAD MOOD DON'T READ**

**Swan song**

_**If you shut up truth and bury it under the ground, it will but grow, and gather to itself such explosive power that the day it bursts through it will blow up everything in its way.**_

_**EMILE**____**ZOLA**_

Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola was a French writer, the most important exemplar of the literary school of naturalism and an important contributor to the development of theatrical naturalism

"Ugh! This is the reason I don't like coming to the academy on these days." I mutterd as the queue of my classmates dragged further.

"I really don't understand your dislike of our medical checkups. Although this time you look uncharacteristically foul mooded. What has your mouth in such sour twist?" Inayusha nudged me from back as I scowled at her.

" Last time it was bearable at least, it was just the chakra test" although that had ensued a new topic of conversation or more appropriately whispers, as well, I thought as I remembered my last exam. Though judging from the examinations this year had brought, I would go up with last year, anytime.

"They are checking for any serious injuries, you know. The ones that get neglected, and turn fatal. It's a good thing." She said again, strangely.

She normally was all in, in times of complaining against the organisation or staff. I huffed and rolled my eyes as i folded my arms across my chest disapprovingly.

God! She was getting more irritating than my subconscious, whom I suspected to have disappeared into her personal coffin by now. She really was a backstabbing traitor.

"You know you are just acting like a brat, pouting and complaining."

More my friend than she was, really. At least I was expecting some kind of agreement from her, and view of similar opinions. But she had decided to rain on my happy charade.

"God! Okay forgive me _Mommy_, I won't say anything again." I replied, sarcasm dripping from my tone.

She smiled mutely and muttered a whatever, as she turned around looking at the line ahead of her. I followed suit.

Aw hell! Just a few more to go, I thought as my heart started beating faster, and incessant ramblings set off in my mind like a radio, that was always changing stations.

'God! Can't they just do it behind curtains or something? Why does this need to happen to me. Can I ask them to go behind a curtain? Well that would definitely not be awkward. Not!'

I could hear my friends' faint voice as she chatted with whoever was behind her.

"Nikazula Reina..." my name was called, but I didn't jump or appear shocked because my mind had been onto this thing as soon as I'd entered this room.

I neared to the chair and sat down, as the doctor examined my eyes. For more time than was needed. Then he asked about pain anywhere to which I gave a monotonous no.

"I am going to give you a type of morphine and test your bones, okay?" The gentle faced doctor said quietly.

I nodded quietly, as my heart began to bump against my chest. There was a slight prick and then I felt numb from neck down. The doctor made me sit on the table, my back to the rest of the queue. Even the morphine in my veins, couldn't slow my heart beat. There were sounds of soft shuffling as I felt nothing, and numbness grew inside my body. It was as bad as being kept in a room with no light. I felt blinded without my senses. And then, my senses came back, as I felt the doctor examine my head carefully.

"It's... done." He said as he cleared his throat audibly. I turned around, and suddenly felt every gaze on me. A slight blush crept along my neck.

"Oooookay." My subconscious was back as she sighed and gave me a peculiar questioning look at the same time. And then as the chatter began, I barely understood a few words, but those few words were enough.

"Did you see her back?" I heard someone say as I watched from the corner of my eye a guy, talk to his friend as he nodded importantly and whispered.

"Yeah-I've seen it before too."

"Mother—cursed-fire." These were the word I heard always, but never the full story or well not the true story at least. I'd heard stories ranging from a family curse to one that ended concluding that the scar was due to a fire. But I knew that it was neither as I didn't believe in curses and I've never been in a fire, but I was having a realisation that the fire would probably be less hot than the stares of my classmates.

"Reina-wait." I heard Inayusha run behind me, as I ran faster.

"Reina" she caught my arm and forced me to look at her, as tears threatened to spill.

"Please leave me alone Inayusha. Just leave me, okay!" I snapped as anger surged through me. I would NOT Cry! I scream inside my head, as pain ripped through my arm.

Her eyes mirrored hurt, but she didn't back away. There was a reason we were best friends.

"No—first you talk to me. Don't walk away." The reason we both were friends was because both of us was equally stubborn and never knew when to back down.

"Why? So you could go and spread out some more conspiracy theory about my ugly scars! And you yourself said that I was acting like a spoiled brat...well I am...now get your nose out of my matters." I fired back, sneering at her. This did make her flinch, unlike the last comment, and back away as she gave me a last look of mirrored hurt.

My body was humming with anger and I wanted a release. Anger at my friends and classmates, at sensei, at the villagers and most of all, my uncle, for not giving me the answer. Before my words could register, i snatched my arm away and staked off limping.

"Uncle-" I bellowed as soon as my foot touched my porch.

"Uncle Inoto-"

"Reina—you are back. How was-" my uncle stopped short in his paths as he entered the hall and saw me. Even though I couldn't see my face, I was pretty positive how i appeared to my uncle.

"Reina—what is it?" he asked, concern etching his features.

"This!" I said as I raised my t shirt from my back and heard the soft intake of breath from him. "Uncle how did this happen to me, tell me!" I was practically screaming at him, as I dropped my t shirt and whirled around to see his shocked expression.

Then, the shock was replaced by despair, and he stole away his glance from me.

"Uncle—tell me! I've had enough of stares and whispers-I need to know the truth! Tell me."

"This scar is the sign that your mother tried to kill you." Came the answer as blood stopped in my veins. But my uncle hadn't answered. Because at the sound of the voice he took looked up, in shock, as I whirled around, and tawny eyes met mine. Eyes that were familiar and yet-unfamiliar.

I couldn't decide which, was the fact that froze my veins and stopped my heart. The fact that my father stood in front of me or the words that he said to me.

"Kiyoshi-" My uncle breathed.

"It's true—whatever they are saying-your mother tried to kill you, and i know this sounds harsh Inoto, but she needed to know the truth. Reina-your mother tried to kill you, but she died instead."

"What are you talking-Uncle" I turned to him, tears burning my vision.

"Kiyoshi—this-I won't let you this to her." My uncle went bursting past me, as tears started pouring out of me and a weird heart spread past my arm, as the words swirled inside my head.

" She needs to be strong—you are making her _weak_-pampering her-making her believe in happy ending-she needs a tough life-because _life is_ tough." I heard faint voices of my Uncle and father arguing, somewhere in the distant I heard sound of punches, but all was muted. Because the voices inside my head were screaming. I thumped onto the floor and I dimly remember sobbing as the pain in my body grew.

"She—she tried to kill me. She-was the one-the fire-she—tr-tried to kill me." A strangled whisper left my lips as a scream echoed through the house, by the burning in my throat i realised dimly that it belonged to me, as my Uncle rushed towards me and i looked into those eyes similar to my mother, my mother who tried to kill me.

"My nightmares-they—weren't nightmares—they were truth." I looked at him to find fear coating his face.

"You lied to me!" I screamed.

"You let me believe she loved me-I looked at the photos, where she smiled imagining that's how she looked at me-but, she mustn't have. Because she didn't love me-she tried to kill me."

"Reina-that's not true. Kiyoshi tell her! Now! " I heard him say.

But that was all I did, just heard him.

Because a boiling anger had replaced the pain and I was shaking.

"Inoto-!" I heard a distant urging voice and then there was a lot of shuffling, but all I could here were prolonged deep breaths, and red behind my eyes. I wanted to burn everything down, EVERYTHING.

I dimly remember a soothing voice come to me and whisper word, but that was all it was. Empty words, my heartfelt too distant, too long burnt by the fire to feel anything, as anger made me grip my talker's hand, as heat flowed through me. I heard music cover me—violin's music, soothing and calming, as it restarted my frozen blackened heart, and as my eyes focused on the unconscious body of my Uncle lying on the floor beside me, all breath was knocked out of me and I fainted, as I felt the music remain my last conscious thought and impression on my groggy mind.

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**Author notes:**_** I named this excerpt The Swan song, because swan song is generally referred to as a goodbye and the end kind of thing...kind a like last song-and since this was the end of Reina's fairytale life-or part of her Fairy tale life...so it was kind of a good bye to her denials...**_

_**Hope you liked it...and understood it.**_

**And people I want review...no I need them-they are the ink to an authors pen...**

**NO REVIEWS...NO WRITING.**

**Please Review!**

**Anyway, that was enough pleading to last for a day or two...meet you next time**

**Sayonara!**

**XOXO**

PS: Friends ...I'll say it again...this wasn't a chapter...

_**Giselle**_


	7. Chapter 6 Hope

**CHAPTER 6: Hope**

I opened my eyes to blinding light entering my window marking morning, as I looked through scrunched eyes, taking in my uncle on whose lap I had drooled brazenly and who now had his head resting on the wall along which the bed stood. His eyes closed. A blush crept along my cheeks as I felt guilty over the whole drooling and sleeping on him.

My subconscious was looking at me, as incarnation of condemnation. I looked at her sheepishly. For once I was in total agreement with her disapproval .I was freaking 17 years old for crying out loud. We both nodded at each other as people with similar minds, as I reached out to swiftly wipe off the drool.

I looked around trying to find the source that awoke me, as the bell chimed, and my uncle stirred awake.

"Oh!" my uncle breathed as he looked around. We both looked at each other awkwardly, and stood up gawkily.

"I—am going to go for a shower." I mumbled and darted towards the bathroom, as I heard my uncle murmur something back to me, which seemed something like 'I'll get the door'.

I entered the bathroom, preparing for a clean and long bath in days. Missions had been in full force since a few days, due to the death of Kazekage, and what with the trainings, I had only been able to bath for a few minutes, that too in haste. So I decided to shampoo my hair as I undressed and then my head obscured under the froth of shampoo. I massaged my head, feeling a little perky. Shampoo usually did that to me. And instantly as I sat down to dry my hair and I'd finished with my bath, I felt a new hope rise in me once again.

Today will be a good day!

...

...

'Yeah, right-and pigs will sprout wings and migrate all over the world' came my subconscious's snide remark. She gave me the 'aren't you forgetting something look' over her book of advanced study of illusionary techniques, as suddenly yesterday's incident made me slam my breaks to fairytale villa.

I had to go to Aakura Sensei today. Goose bumps of fervent enthusiasm shot up my skin.

I needed to go to the hospital today. I'd been so entirely immersed in my own problems that I'd almost forgotten about going for a visit to the hospital. Micazeh hadn't come with any word either.

'Can you blame him though, for not wanting to meet with his teammate, who saw red as fast as any bull, maybe faster even.' my subconscious sneered at me, as I cowered in front of her sudden enraged temperament. Okay, okay...I raised my hands up, palm first in surrender.

Gees! Keep your hair on girly! I scowled inwardly as she vanished with a puff, around the whipping of her hair.

She did scare me sometimes, and bizarrely I had a strange inclination to burst out giggling. And as a result of which, I emerged out of the door biting my lip against the sudden laughter.

"Well you sure seem to be in a good mood." My uncle said standing in front of him, smiling fondly.

"It's nothing." I said smiling widely, both at my stupidity and my inability. "Who was it?" I asked my cheeks hurting from the pressed smiles.

"Oh-yeah—that was Aakura-he wanted to uh talk about that."

Well that sure did the job.

Minutes later, my uncle, Aakura sensei and I stood, in our hall, sipping tea.

"I found out that you had told your uncle about it." My sensei asked first breaking the silence.

"Yeah-as much as I could tell." I said not looking at him. I had no idea why I was having this ultra serious interrogation early in the morning. I hadn't even eaten breakfast for god sake...my stomach had started to rumble slightly at the mention of food, and at the recollection of the fact that I hadn't eaten yesterday, it became violent.

"I am sorry to drop in like this but this is important." Sensei said, looking at me levelly as my stomach growled. I blushed furiously as I swallowed the small gulp of tea I'd taken and nodded, "I understand my priorities sensei." I replied evenly.

"Considering your recent-development" sensei continued doubtfully. Yeah-of course _Developments_.

To touch your friend unconscious is obviously a _wonderful_ development...I thought to myself, as my subconscious merely looked at me through a boring gaze.

"So-we have decided to change your training schedule." Aakura sensei continued, as he looked at me from across, my chair.

"What-what is it?" I asked, unable to stop myself.

"Its-a kind of-side effect from what—your mother...tried to do." My uncle answered, eyes cast downwards.

I nodded unable to speak against the sudden lump in my throat. So-I am more messed up than I thought myself capable of being. "We are not 100 percent positive though." He continued, clearing his throat soundly. "So it would be better for less people to know." This time he did look up meeting my eyes.

I nodded, not trusting myself enough with anything else.

"And about the training schedule-" sensei said.

"I know-I'll have to stay away from Micazeh and Arazuma." I said meeting his eyes, and trying to show him...and show myself that I'll be fine. I'll be hurting-but hurt is a part of ninja's life, and I'll try...Hard. I'll learn to control it or use it...and I'll be just fine.

"Yes-but that's part of it-You'll have to be training with someone else."

"I—does this has something to do with the fact that I'll be able to knock you out?" I asked tentatively.

"Yes and No. Yes you'll be able to knock me out, probably not now, but after a while, and no that's not the reason. The reason is you'll have to control it...not use it. You need to learn to draw it in rather than force it out—and I believe—someone who has personal experience of this will be better for you."

The answer both chilled and relieved me, equally. So I can hurt my friends seriously. I swallowed the sudden shame that brought in me, afraid it'll show on my face.

"Reina-look. Everything about your abilities-."

" Condition-" I corrected my uncle sternly.

" Alright—condition—you'll learn gradually. But first you need to accommodate to the changes and so we've decided we'll start your training from today," He said, as both of them turned to look at me.

"Yes, I'm okay with it." I replied calmly, as the dread passed away.

"Okay then—meet me at our place, 7pm sharp." He said to me as he turned to my uncle and bowed slightly as my uncle stood up as well "I'll take your leave, Inoto sama."

"Thank you so much, Aakura- sama. You've been a constant help." Uncle Inn replied with a smile, as I bowed in return as well.

"I'll have to leave for the hospital—Reina. Breakfast is in the kitchen." My uncle said glancing worriedly over the clock, as he gave me a goodbye smile.

"Uncle-um would it be safe if I visited Micazeh—I mean as long as I don't touch him he should be alright, right?" I asked, and I felt him stop dead in his way out, as he turned to me.

I thought that I almost saw him shake his head and look at me with pity and tell me that it was a bad idea, but my Uncle beckoned me instead. And beckoned me with such a familiar gesture from childhood that I was taken back to the day, when I sat moping in the house, cuz I'd been unable to excel in my replication jutsu 15 years ago. I moved forward, as he crouched on one knee, just like he had done 15 years from now. But this time, I was taller, so kneeled in front of him as well.

"Don't judge yourself so harshly Reina." He said and picked up my hand. I flinched instantly, expecting him to lie unconscious any moment but he didn't release my hand. Then he leaned forward and kissed my forehead, as he ruffled my hair a bit, and smiled at me warmly. I looked at him, dumbstruck. I could tell that even if an earthquake blew whole of suna away I wouldn't have felt it, I was feeling so light-hearted with joy. My uncle doesn't hate me—a voice that I'd been trying to ignore for a while now, squealed.

"Don't forget to take some flowers." He said, as he rose and left, giving me a final wave, and a considerate smile.

"Excuse me, Oneesan. Could you please tell me where Watanabe Arazuma is admitted?" I asked the attendant, placing my clammy hands on the desk.

"Room 201." She replied smiling up at me.

"Aarigatou." I smiled at her forcibly, through my nervous face, and began to walk through the long hall.

Room 102,-103-104-125-151"Should I go? After all, the reason that he is here in the first place is because me, and then me going there will seem a little a hypocritical, wouldn't it.

"Well that wasn't intentional." My subconscious reasoned, as she looked at me over here thick volume of 101 nin- jutsu. She was being pretty sober and solemn, for which I very grateful. I was certain that if my subconscious would've chosen now of all times to be her snarky self, then I most evidently wouldn't have been in seventh heaven.

I climbed up the stairs in daze. Will Arazuma be afraid of me now? If it were the situation, then no amount of determination will be able to hold me from breaking apart, I know that. They—my team had been the constant source of support in all situations. Arazuma had literally threatened the guys on their lives, when the whispers had grown. And Micazeh's presence had always been a source of calm, in my flustered world of whorl-whirl.

152, 153-156.

I clutched the flowers in my hand. It was hard to get flowers in suna considering its terrain, and unfortunately, in the morning most shops were closed, so I had to settle with a few wild flowers. But these small white flowers held meaning—meaning I wished, that Arazuma would see.

These flowers had grown in the place which had been left barren. Even though most of Suna was rough terrain, this area was particularly harsh terrenes area. And we—the three of us had found this place one day, and had seen a cactus, shrivelled and half dead with heat. But we'd watered it regularly. Even it was a cactus but, Arazuma had insisted we save it, and now, that area was a patch of land, and the cactus had transformed into medium sized bushes with small white flowers, and not knowing what to call it we'd started calling it hope.

That was what this bunch of wild flowers was. Hope. Hope that, there was still speck of love somewhere in their hearts for me, hope that they didn't fear me-hope that I won't lose my closest companions because of one miscarried and liberated emotion. I won't be able to bear it if I did. And yet knowing this, that if this hope shattered..., its pieces would pierce me deeply and possibly permanently leave me handicapped, than in the alternative case, if i just left it now, and live with it now- I couldn't let go of it.

My throat started to close, and my vision blurred as I continued to shuffle my feet.

Suddenly I was feeling very drained, and all I wanted was to curl up somewhere and sleep. I yawned, and stopped short, as the room 201 came into view.

But my shoulder collided with something firm, and solid. I blinked the unshed tears back, and retreated back a few steps as I looked up, and my breath caught mid way.

All fatigue vanished, and my heart began to beat faster. Clutching the flowers in my hand, I stood there staring at the door, debating. The tightness in my chest began to grow as I felt as if someone had tied me up. I started inhaling and exhaling heavily, as my fingers turned cold.

What if Arazuma said that he didn't ever want to see my face? What will I do then?

'Try to convince and make me love him again' my subconscious murmured serenely.

"Reina!" I heard a familiar voice breath my name out, as my eyes met the familiar, thin face of my friend Micazeh.

"Are you okay?" He said, worry and concern etching his face, as he advanced forward to touch my hand, and I flinched away. He stared at me, concern replaced with surprise—and something else .Incredulity, I concluded, studying his scrunched eye brows and questioning eyes..

"I –-um—sorry. I just thought I'll check up on Arazuma." I stuttered finally.

"Is he okay?"

Micazeh, stared at me for a while, and then nodded. "He does seem fine now-But—you don't." He said silently.

"Okay then-I should go." I replied hastily not meeting his eyes, as I turned to walk away, but he clasped my hand. And this time when I flinched he didn't let go.

"He is worried about you Rei." He says.

"Yeah-right! Like I'm the one he should be worried about." I managed out, as a humourless laugh escaped me.

I _really_ don't get people. When I expect them to hate me and detest me and fear me, they come closer, and when I expect them to sympathize with me they laugh at me. Human mind is the really the most complicated forms created by god.

" Reina!" a surprised exclaim came from behind me but before I could so much as react to my name, rather the speaker, He took me in a tight embrace. And as I registered the situation, first relief, then shock and then fear gripped me to the marrow, equally devouringly.

"Don't touch me!" I screamed, reflexively. And as the time and place registered "I-am—sorry." I amended softly.

"Otoutosan!" a nurse came to Arazuma. "What are you doing out of bed?" she chastised softly.

"And don't scream imoutosan-people are asleep. Now all three of you get into your wards." The nurse said, as she pushed all three of us into the hospital room before I could protest.

As Arazuma, laid on the bed, I realised he was slouching. I sighed. Now when I am here already why not do something constructive.

"How many days is it gonna take him to recover?" I asked Micazeh, as I was still too ashamed to meet Arazuma's eyes. But Micazeh just stared at me, arms folded on his chest, a disapproving look on his face. Just mane of black hair would've given him the same expression as my subconscious when she was giving me the inquisitive look, of 'is she speaking Latin'.

"Has the hit over your head last summer finally began to show signs of trauma or otherwise." I heard Arazuma saying. I stayed quiet, unable to fathom the answer to this. I seriously wanted to bang my head on something. My friends were frustratingly unfathomable!

"What is wrong with you, Rei, and give me these before you shred these to pieces." He snatched the bundle of hope from me seeing me pluck off the petals as i stared, and in return giving me thing that I needed the most and didn't even know I needed. He reached out and hugged me, knocking every breath out of me. "Now—I'll see how you mange to pull away." And that did it. Tears started pouring out of my eyes.

"I thought you both would hate me." I choked out after a while.

"Yeah and pigs are gonna sprout wings and fly around the world." He replied sarcastically, as i pulled away and hit him in the arm, lightly.

"That's my line!" I growled, a growl mixed with tears and a smile. I wonder just how threatening I looked. Probably as threatening as a mewling puppy, and I laughed out loud at the picture.

But I guess it was enough for him, as he released me and laid down again chuckling, as all three of us joined in echoing laughter, all fear forgotten, all pain left, and all hope returned in the dallying company of my friends. My comrades.

i

iGlad you guess read to the last again-Thanks for reading. Review as well! ^_^


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